Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Michigan City-La Porte, IN

Each occupation's median wage in Michigan City-La Porte, IN compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Michigan City-La Porte, IN pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Michigan City-La Porte, IN run 8.3% below the national average (2024), so a Michigan City-La Porte, IN salary is worth about 1.09× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Michigan City-La Porte, IN

OccupationMedian, Michigan City-La Porte, IN · vs. national

1Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$98,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$50,330 – $102,860+63.9%
2Carpenters$91,970
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,910 – $91,980+51.8%
3Sheet Metal Workers$93,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$43,730 – $104,050+51.1%
4Physicians, All Other$354,700
Doctoral or professional degree
$125,180 – $529,270+33.4%
5Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$82,200
High school diploma or equivalent
$48,030 – $98,620+28.8%
6Construction Laborers$58,240
No formal educational credential
$36,350 – $78,260+23.6%
7Helpers--Production Workers$43,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,830 – $49,740+11.9%
8Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$63,830
No formal educational credential
$44,550 – $80,020+11.9%
9Firefighters$65,230
Postsecondary nondegree award
$51,240 – $71,030+10.0%
10Bakers$39,840
No formal educational credential
$26,160 – $47,360+7.2%
11First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping Workers$62,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,570 – $76,600+6.8%
12Tool and Die Makers$67,650
Postsecondary nondegree award
$47,450 – $94,220+5.6%
13Pharmacists$148,110
Doctoral or professional degree
$82,840 – $157,440+5.1%
14Bus Drivers, School$49,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$23,790 – $56,350+3.8%
15Light Truck Drivers$46,490
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,420 – $93,600+3.6%
16Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,360
High school diploma or equivalent
$32,540 – $59,430+3.5%
17Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists$98,740
Associate's degree
$76,250 – $99,360+3.4%
18Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products$74,430
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,340 – $134,120+3.3%
19Electricians$65,270
High school diploma or equivalent
$45,310 – $98,690+3.3%
20Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$45,600
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,390 – $79,420+2.8%
21Food Batchmakers$43,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,060 – $46,710+2.6%
22First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$45,230
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,520 – $62,300+2.6%
23Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$60,430
Master's degree
$40,860 – $89,370+1.8%
24Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks$50,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,990 – $73,390+1.8%
25Dental Assistants$48,920
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,350 – $59,300+1.8%
26Food Service Managers$70,540
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,740 – $98,390+1.7%
27Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks$45,880
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,970 – $59,170+1.4%
28Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$65,250
Postsecondary nondegree award
$48,730 – $74,830+1.3%
29Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$46,990
No formal educational credential
$37,430 – $57,790+1.2%
30Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance$50,840
High school diploma or equivalent
$33,910 – $66,140+1.0%
31Respiratory Therapists$82,990
Associate's degree
$65,690 – $93,930+0.9%
32Security Guards$38,370
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,790 – $53,590+0.9%
33First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers$49,320
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,430 – $69,730+0.4%
34Painters, Construction and Maintenance$49,430
No formal educational credential
$33,220 – $65,790+0.1%
35Rehabilitation Counselors$46,890
Master's degree
$29,380 – $62,220+0.1%
36Postal Service Mail Carriers$60,550
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,0400.0%
37Veterinary Technologists and Technicians$47,230
Associate's degree
$37,730 – $58,980-0.3%
38Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$60,810
Postsecondary nondegree award
$45,200 – $93,730-0.3%
39Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$50,400
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,480 – $79,940-0.4%
40Management Analysts$101,460
Bachelor's degree
$48,090 – $159,820-0.4%
41Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,420
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,790 – $73,130-0.6%
42Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,240
Postsecondary nondegree award
$35,960 – $73,370-0.7%
43Pharmacy Technicians$45,290
High school diploma or equivalent
$36,180 – $58,820-1.0%
44First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$79,130
High school diploma or equivalent
$55,470 – $118,980-1.0%
45Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks$58,820
High school diploma or equivalent
$44,480 – $78,350-1.4%
46Recreation Workers$35,990
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,060 – $44,920-1.6%
47Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,170
High school diploma or equivalent
$29,710 – $37,290-1.8%
48Packers and Packagers, Hand$35,490
No formal educational credential
$26,060 – $43,440-2.2%
49Surgical Technologists$62,980
Postsecondary nondegree award
$50,610 – $80,420-2.6%
50Medical Assistants$44,520
Postsecondary nondegree award
$36,800 – $48,920-2.6%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianMichigan City-La Porte, IN	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$98,120	$50,330 – $102,860	+63.9%
2	CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$91,970	$49,910 – $91,980	+51.8%
3	Sheet Metal WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$93,350	$43,730 – $104,050	+51.1%
4	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$354,700	$125,180 – $529,270	+33.4%
5	Plumbers, Pipefitters, and SteamfittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$82,200	$48,030 – $98,620	+28.8%
6	Construction LaborersNo formal educational credential	$58,240	$36,350 – $78,260	+23.6%
7	Helpers--Production WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,720	$35,830 – $49,740	+11.9%
8	Cement Masons and Concrete FinishersNo formal educational credential	$63,830	$44,550 – $80,020	+11.9%
9	FirefightersPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,230	$51,240 – $71,030	+10.0%
10	BakersNo formal educational credential	$39,840	$26,160 – $47,360	+7.2%
11	First-Line Supervisors of Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Groundskeeping WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$62,390	$45,570 – $76,600	+6.8%
12	Tool and Die MakersPostsecondary nondegree award	$67,650	$47,450 – $94,220	+5.6%
13	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$148,110	$82,840 – $157,440	+5.1%
14	Bus Drivers, SchoolHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,760	$23,790 – $56,350	+3.8%
15	Light Truck DriversHigh school diploma or equivalent	$46,490	$29,420 – $93,600	+3.6%
16	Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,360	$32,540 – $59,430	+3.5%
17	Magnetic Resonance Imaging TechnologistsAssociate's degree	$98,740	$76,250 – $99,360	+3.4%
18	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$74,430	$38,340 – $134,120	+3.3%
19	ElectriciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$65,270	$45,310 – $98,690	+3.3%
20	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,600	$34,390 – $79,420	+2.8%
21	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$43,390	$38,060 – $46,710	+2.6%
22	First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,230	$30,520 – $62,300	+2.6%
23	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$60,430	$40,860 – $89,370	+1.8%
24	Insurance Claims and Policy Processing ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,120	$29,990 – $73,390	+1.8%
25	Dental AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$48,920	$36,350 – $59,300	+1.8%
26	Food Service ManagersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$70,540	$51,740 – $98,390	+1.7%
27	Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,880	$35,970 – $59,170	+1.4%
28	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$65,250	$48,730 – $74,830	+1.3%
29	Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNo formal educational credential	$46,990	$37,430 – $57,790	+1.2%
30	Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and AmbulanceHigh school diploma or equivalent	$50,840	$33,910 – $66,140	+1.0%
31	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$82,990	$65,690 – $93,930	+0.9%
32	Security GuardsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,370	$29,790 – $53,590	+0.9%
33	First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$49,320	$37,430 – $69,730	+0.4%
34	Painters, Construction and MaintenanceNo formal educational credential	$49,430	$33,220 – $65,790	+0.1%
35	Rehabilitation CounselorsMaster's degree	$46,890	$29,380 – $62,220	+0.1%
36	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$60,550	$42,390 – $81,040	0.0%
37	Veterinary Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$47,230	$37,730 – $58,980	-0.3%
38	Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and InstallersPostsecondary nondegree award	$60,810	$45,200 – $93,730	-0.3%
39	Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsPostsecondary nondegree award	$50,400	$36,480 – $79,940	-0.4%
40	Management AnalystsBachelor's degree	$101,460	$48,090 – $159,820	-0.4%
41	Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$53,420	$37,790 – $73,130	-0.6%
42	Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversPostsecondary nondegree award	$58,240	$35,960 – $73,370	-0.7%
43	Pharmacy TechniciansHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,290	$36,180 – $58,820	-1.0%
44	First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$79,130	$55,470 – $118,980	-1.0%
45	Production, Planning, and Expediting ClerksHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,820	$44,480 – $78,350	-1.4%
46	Recreation WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,990	$27,060 – $44,920	-1.6%
47	Home Health and Personal Care AidesHigh school diploma or equivalent	$35,170	$29,710 – $37,290	-1.8%
48	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$35,490	$26,060 – $43,440	-2.2%
49	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$62,980	$50,610 – $80,420	-2.6%
50	Medical AssistantsPostsecondary nondegree award	$44,520	$36,800 – $48,920	-2.6%

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in Michigan City-La Porte, IN to rank honestly.

Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Michigan City-La Porte, IN

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